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Our outdoor snow activities are only as good as our snow gear. If we’re not staying warm and dry, the day will be cut short, and that’s the last thing any of us want. RedLine is lucky enough to have Western Power Sports (WPS) and Klim as partners, and with such a great partnership, our members get a discount on all WPS and Klim gear, including Fly Racing gear. We love seeing the new apparel lines that both WPS and Klim come out with each year, and the winter lines are no different.

Fly Racing:

At Redline, we use the Fly Racing Aurora line for our members and renters when they need snow gear. The Aurora line is designed to withstand anything your adventures can throw at you. It features Hydraguard Weatherproof tech and 450D strong, comfortable shell materials in both the bibs and jackets to keep you warm and dry while you ride.

We’ve had great luck with all the gear we’ve tried (and we’re always excited to try more). Another set we really enjoy is the Carbon line. The Carbon jackets and bibs were created for those adventures who want to explore the harshest conditions. With Hydraguard Pro for the ultimate protection and Cordura for durability, this line allows you to perform at your best without sacrificing mobility for your weather protection.

Feet are almost always the first extremity to get cold, so good protection is vital in the outdoors. One of our favorite boots from Fly are the Marker Boa boots. We love these because they’re all-encompassing protection for any kind of activity you’ll be doing on a snowmobile. Weatherproof with a durable rubber sole and thermal insulation, this pair provides great protection to keep your feet warm and dry.

The other extremity to always get chilled first is definitely the hands, so a good pair of gloves are so important when you’re playing in the snow. We use the Aurora gloves for our members and love the strong, water/windproof membrane that keep fingers warm. When we splurge, we’ve really been liking the Ignitor Heated Gloves. Fully insulated and water/windproof, these gloves come with 3 level heat capabilities and long-lasting lithium ion batteries to not only keep your hands dry, but also toasty warm no matter the surrounding weather.

Klim:

Klim has amazing gear, but it’s definitely the pricier option. RedLine members get a discount on gear ordered through our office and we’ve really enjoyed what we’ve tried out. Keeping price in mind, we really like the Storm jacket and bibs. This line has a relaxed fit for ultimate comfort with a highly efficient ventilation scheme to keep you dry while riding. One of our favorite helmets from Klim is the F3 Helmet. We like that it comes in a variety of sizes and colors for everyone, in addition to its strong but lightweight design to keep its’ rider safe.

Snowmobiling hasn’t been around very long, historically speaking. Humans actually learned to fly before the first snow machine was built (1903 vs 1908) and the word ‘snowmobile’ wasn’t used until 1913. Fast forward to 2019, the sport of snowmobiling has grown in popularity and availability for many in North America. On average about 3 million people partake in the sport on over 200,000 miles of groomed and marked snowmobile trails throughout North America. Designs have changed since its’ conception in 1908, with comfort and convenience showing a marked improvement. Since more than 95% of snowmobile enthusiasts consider snowmobiling a family activity, it’s no wonder the search for good trails and location is intense and a well guarded secret. In Idaho, we’re lucky to have a huge repertoire of open areas and trails to utilize, but the Pacific Northwest is home to a lot of great locations. We’ve compiled our team’s favorite locations throughout the PNW to make the search easier for you.

Idaho

All of Idaho is home to thousands of acres of open grounds and trails. First one up is very close to our RedLine hearts and easy to access for many Idahoans. McCall is only a two-hour drive from Boise and is a popular destination for many. There are many good attributes of McCall for snowmobiling, including the options for guided or nonguided toursaround over 544 miles of groomed trails and the wide open terrain for off trail travel. McCall has consistently been ranked in the top 10 Northwestern US area for snow sport locations, and it’s easy to see why.

Unanimously chosen as a great snowmobiling location by our resident snow machine gurus at RedLine, Teton Valley at the foot of the Grand Teton Mountain Range and the slight foray into Yellowstone National Park and is a great Idaho option. It sits only just over the hill from Jackson Hole, and is right in the middle of the best snowmobiling territory in the US.

Another great option for Idaho is our amazing Northern resort town, Coeur d’Alene. Home to a RedLine location, CDA also marks the Western edge of a 1,000-mile trail system that stretches all the way to Montana. The CDA Snowmobile Club is proud to promote snowmobiling and preserve access to public land.

Oregon

One of the most beautiful national parks in the entire PNW is Crater Lake National Park.Since the winter lasts about nine months of the year due to the park’s higher elevations, it gets roughly 45 feet of snow annually. This gives way for amazing snow activities all around the park. There are guided and nonguided tours of the park available for snowmobilers and Diamond Lake is a very recommended locale for sightseeing.

Mt. Hood offers beautiful scenery and hundreds of miles of wonderful winter playground with groomed trails and fluffy powder. There are guided and nonguided tours available by multiple outfits, with a chance to take in the amazing views and outdoors.

The Bend area as a whole is an amazing place for snowmobiling. The Mt. Bachelor trail system stretches over 250 miles into many open snowfields and amazing mountain terrain. There are resorts, breweries and restaurants throughout the area for entertaining stops on your way through.

Washington

A part of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the Plains of Abraham are a very popular snowmobiling location in Washington. It’s right next to Mt. St. Helens, with the ability to ride along a pretty extensive trail system on the east side of the mountain. In the National Forest, there are also cabins and tours available to the public.

Leavenworth is a great destination during the winter and summer, and we’re glad to add it to the list. There’s over 150 miles of trails to explore, with guided and nonguided tours available. The town of Leavenworth has a lot to offer besides the mountains, and we highly recommend utilizing all it has to offer.

We have one more park to add to the list and that is the PNW’s magnificent Mt. Rainier National Park. There is a Sno- Park that offers 68 miles of groomed trails for snowmobilers. This part of Washington is absolutely beautiful and we’re so lucky to have parks like these so easily accessible.

*As always, we encourage our members and friends to check conditions and familiarize themselves with the terrain before they go out to stay safe.

2018 has come to an end and we’ve spent the last few days reflecting on everything that we were fortunate enough to experience this year. RedLine has had an amazing year; full of fun, new things, and memorable moments that we’re so grateful to share with our members and friends. We’ve pulled together some of our favorite things from 2018 to share with you before we ring in the new year.

Gear

Cordova Coolers: We’re so lucky here at RedLine because we partner with Cordova to bring their amazing coolers to our members for a discounted price. This is an awesome company, not only because they’re based out of Nampa- hey locals!- but also because these coolers are made in the USA, come in multiple sizes, and are bear resistant. (It also comes with a built-in bottle opener- so handy.)

Traeger: Traeger is also a RedLine partner, and thank goodness because we use our in-store grill at least three times a week. Traeger grills are very well known, and with good reason. The wood pellet grill offers amazing versatility and consistency with every piece of food that might strike your fancy. It’s an easy way to make an amazing meal, and the Traeger website throws up some really cool recipes that have definitely made our to-do list for 2019.

WPS Fly Racing Helmet (from 2019 Snow Collection)- We’re all about safety while having fun here at RedLine, so we were happy to test out snowmobile helmets to bring you our favorites. The only problem was, we liked too many! We especially liked the Fly Racing 2019 Snow Collection that dropped recently. There are tons of options for everyone in your snowmobile family, including youth, women’s, and men’s options. Some standouts for us were the Elite Vigilant helmet and the F2 Carbon MIPS Shield helmet (in all the colors). Plus, since WPS is a partner of RedLine, members get a discount on all gear!

Machines

Dutchmen Aspen Trail RV- The Aspen Trail is a camp trailer we offer our members and renters and we’ve gotten such good feedback on it! This trailer is a 2018, ½ ton model with an awesome interior, including five beds and a fully- equipped kitchen. This was definitely a fan favorite from our members, and it’s been a great addition to our fleet. This is a great option for camping or road-trips with the whole family!

Axis T22 Boat- Summer equipment in general is a favorite of ours and our members’, and it’s not hard to see why. Summer on the water is amazing and this boat just adds to the experience. The Axis is an easy- to- drive, spacious boat, with an awesome wake for all our extra gear. We used these boats throughout the sunny season and had a great time with our family and friends using RedLine’s wakeboards, kneeboards, tubes, and more.

Sea-Doo Spark PWC- RedLine offers Sea- Doo and Kawasaki PWC’s and we love using both of them. However, our Sea- Doo’s got a lot of love this year from our members and friends. The Spark includes a tow pylon/ hook, so you can use the PWC to pull a tube or just cruise around. This was a fantastic addition to our summer fleet at RedLine and we can’t wait for the summer months to roll back around so we can get back on the water.

2019 Polaris RMK Pro 800- We just got these new snowmobiles in, but we’re already in love. Polaris does it again with a fantastic machine that we’re so impressed with. These rides are so smooth and easy to drive even for beginners. Even though snow has just fallen, we’ve gotten great feedback on these pretty amazing machines.

Snowmobiles are understandably RedLine’s most used vehicle during the winter, and for good reason. Idaho has amazing snowmobiling areas throughout the state that allow people of all ages and skill levels to get out on the trails and explore. Every year, we get more and more people coming in to take advantage of all the winter in Idaho has to offer, and we’re always excited to introduce snowmobiling to all newcomers. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a small list of the basics of snowmobiling. Of course, we always recommend that our members and renters do their research before going out for their own safety and convenience. We also have out team of semi bona fide experts at our office, so if there are ever any questions, be sure to call in.

Basic Safety Tips:

Know Where You’re Riding: There are so many resources (as stated in our Avalanche Safety blog post) to make sure you are completely prepared for all conditions and situations while you’re out riding. Make sure to check the weather advisories, avalanche warnings, and other conditional reports before you go out.

Routine Machine Maintenance: Taking good care of your machine is a huge factor in making sure your adventure will be seamless. Routine maintenance will alert you to any problems your machine has and also keep you well acquainted with the ins and outs of your snowmobile.

Protective Gear: Wearing all the protective gear is crucial for your safety doing any kind of physical activity. But in the snow, it’s also important to make sure your gear keeps you warm. Good quality base layers and over layers that are breathable, helmets, gloves, bibs, and jackets will ensure your adventure in the snow is safe, fun, and warm.

Other Things to Consider

Extra clothes

Food

Emergency supplies

Alternate communication

Maps

Snowmobile Terms You Should Know

Throttle: Squeezing the throttle lever feeds more fuel to the engine which in turn powers the driveshaft and rubber track moving you forward (or backwards on machines equipped with reverse)

Hood/ Cowl: Protects and covers the engine and other mechanical components

Engine: Snowmobile engines are generally two stroke except for newer models that use four stroke engines

Hull/tub: AKA a belly pan, it is meant to aid in floatation in deep snow and also to protect the undercarriage from rocks, ice, and other hard debris

Ski Tip Handle: handy for pulling, moving, and lifting the vehicle

Skis: Including wear bars and carbides, the skis glide along the surface of the snow and steer the vehicle through the snow. Most ski blades have stabilizers that run along the bottom of the blade to decrease side-to-side motion

Ski Spindle: Connects the ski to both the suspension and the steering systems

Shock Absorber: Using either springs, hydraulics, or both, shocks will help give you a comfortable and smooth ride over bumpy terrain

Track: Made from reinforced rubber, the track is wrapped around the rear suspension system of the snowmobile and is driven by the engine

Rear Suspension: Suspends the track as it digs into the snow which helps maintain contact between the snowmobile and the snow. Also supports the rear of the snowmobile by absorbing bumps allowing for a smooth ride

Instrument Panel: Gives you information about your snowmobile such as speed. Also includes warning lights and the tachometer. The tachometer indicates the rotation speed of the driveshaft in RPM’s

Winter has arrived; first snow has fallen, skis have been waxed, and snowmobiles have been up. We’re ready for all the winter activities. While we all the love the outdoors and everything it has to offer, it’s also very important to have a healthy respect for the dangers it possesses. Now that we are well into winter, avalanche safety and knowledge has been pushed to the forefront of importance to our members while they are traversing the PNW’s wintry terrain. We encourage all of our members and friends to keep themselves safe in the snowy mountains. Sadly, 90% of deaths caused by avalanches are triggered by the victim or a member of the victim’s group. We pooled together the most beneficial tips and tricks for our members and friends to prevent such occurrences while taking advantage of our great outdoors.

One of the best ways to prevent misfortune is the proper knowledge and awareness of the area. Appropriate education is vital to staying safe in the snow. Do your research, learn how to use your gear, and make sure you’re using all the resources at your disposal. In Idaho, we’re lucky to have a large amount of means available to us. Each winter, Idaho Parks and Recreation hosts snowmobile-based avalanche awareness classes, so make sure to check out their website to find classes closest to you. Their website also offers tips and other safety facts for further information. Avalanche.org is also a fantastic website to learn about your area. They’re also a great resource for checking the forecast of your destination. They combine data from professional forecast centers to provide you with current avalanche information, so they usually have the most up-to-date research. There are tons more online guides devoted to teaching you how to prepare, prevent, and deal with avalanches. The ideal avalanche situation is to have no avalanche situation at all, so learning how to prepare and prevent is really important while doing any activity in the winter season. While we are no experts, we compiled a short list of tips to get you started, but we still highly recommend doing your own research and taking classes to help give you the best chance.

Take a class provided by professionals if it’s an option. If not, look for online guided tutorials or videos that will demonstrate your best chance at survival. Avalanche.org offers free safety training videos on their website, so be sure to research multiple sites.

It’s not always enough to just know how to deal or use your equipment, you need to be an expert.Practice in a safe environment how to use your gear and how to conduct a search using a beacon and probe. Practice until it becomes muscle memory.*Beacon Training Parks are training systems designed to help people practice with their transceivers. There are locations accessible throughout the Northwest, so look for one near you for a chance to practice.

Your gear could save your life, so know it well. Whatever specific activity you are participating in, whether skiing, snowmobiling, or any other recreational activity in the snow, make sure you have the sufficient equipment to be able to respond adequately in an avalanche situation.

Check the forecast and daily reports. There are resources specifically designed for avalanche- heavy terrain and those who choose to traverse it. Be familiar with what to look out for and always check the forecast the day you go out.

This is a lot of information and may be overwhelming. But there is good news. Avalanches aren’t some unknown, magical entity that we know nothing about. If you know what to look for and what to avoid, you dramatically increase yor chances of survival. We understand that with winter comes all the fun activities we wait for snow to do. We love those activities too, and we participate every chance we get. We also truly value our members, friends, and family’s safety. So take your classes, do your research, and practice until you’re an expert, so you can keep taking advantage of all the winter fun with us.

RedLine often gets questions about our memberships, our equipment, or just how the whole concept works. As we start 2019, we want to share exactly what makes RedLine so special and why it's a great idea for families all over the PNW. We came up with the top 15 questions we get asked regularly to answer for all members or potential new members.

What is RedLine?

RedLine Recreational Toys uses toy sharing to revolutionizethe convenience, ease, and affordability of family fun and recreation. Toy sharing eliminates the hassles of maintenance, storage, insurance, taxes, licensing and registration by allowing members access to entire fleet of vehicles that they would otherwise have to own. RedLineprovides a way for families to enjoy boats, PWCs, ATVs, UTVs, snowmobiles, campers, motor homes, and more, without the high costs of renting or the hassles of owning.

Where is RedLine?

Our main office is located in Meridian, but we have other locations for pickup/ drop-off at Spring Shores Marina and in McCall

How much does a membership cost?

The best part about our memberships is that they’re completely customizable to our members’ needs. We put information into an equation and take into account the equipment the member needs, how often they’ll use it, and if they want a one-, three-, or five- year membership to come up with the recommended points. We also offer various payment arrangements to fit all needs.

How do points work?

Points will never expire during the membership and will rollover from year to year. As agreed and defined by each individual membership agreement, a set number of points are deposited into a member's account on their anniversary date of each membership year

Can I get more points?

All members are able to buy additional points at any time during their membership for their designated price-per-point. RedLine also has sales on extra points throughout the year- so keep an eye out on our monthly emails or social media for news of those sales.

If the equipment is being used for one day, members will pick up at 10 am and drop- off at 9 am the next day. If a member is using equipment for two or more days, there is convenient pick-up and drop-off times to allow members to get their toys after 3 pm the day BEFORE their reservation begins and drop off before 10 am the morning AFTER the reservation ends.

How does pickup at McCall or the Spring Shores Marina work?

Pick up at the McCall location is the same as the Meridian location. It’s pick up the afternoon before and drop-off the morning after your scheduled reservation. Pick up at Spring Shores Marina is a little different than our other locations. Here the boats, pontoons and PWC’s are already in the water ready to go! We offer four hour and eight hour reservations (partial day) as well as multi-day reservations.

What are your most used vehicles?

Idaho is known for its hot, sunny summers and cold, snowy winters. Our most-used summertime equipment are our wake boats as well as our PWC’s. Our most-used wintertime equipment is our mountain and trail snowmobiles.

What’s availability like?

Availability will vary depending on the time of year and piece of equipment you are wanting to reserve. Major holidays are going to have the least availability as those days are the first to get reserved. Our partial day reservations open up availability for those just looking to go out for just the day or a few hours! Every year we continue to grow our fleet to make sure there is availability and that our members are satisfied. All members are encouraged to book equipment ahead of time and are able to reserve up to one year in advance.

What equipment does my membership let me utilize?

Anything and everything! Your membership isn’t limited by vehicles. You can use any vehicle for as long as you need as long as your points and the equipment are available.

How do I book equipment?

To book equipment, you can go to our site using your login info and book from there, email one of our team members, or you can call our office to get reserved over the phone.

What happens if something breaks down or gets damaged in the middle of my reservation?

We do have a 24/7 on-call service number that all members are encouraged to call in the event there is an issue with their equipment. Our team will try to diagnose and fix the problem over the phone, and if that’s not possible, we have the resources to send someone to you to fix the issue or replace the vehicle. If none of that is possible, we will refund the points to the members.

Am I liable for damaged equipment?

In the event that a vehicle is damaged, the member is liable to pay up to our deductible on that piece of equipment. If a member wants to use their own insurance, they are welcome to. If the damage doesn’t exceed our deductible, the member will be responsible for paying us to fix it- the cost of labor and the dealer cost on parts, which is generally much less than taking the equipment to an external mechanic.

Is extra equipment provided with the vehicles?

Depending on the vehicle, there are pieces of safety equipment that will come along with it. On our boats and PWC’s, we provide four to 10 PFD’s (depending on which boat is reserved), with the ability to rent more. For vehicles that require helmets, we have them available for rent. We do recommend our members also have their own protective gear on hand, if they have it. During the summer, we have kneeboards, tubes, water-skis, wakeboards, surfboards, paddleboards, kayaks, and more to supplement your summer activities.